Florida Man Admits to Trafficking Kilos of Cocaine Shipped to Rhode Island from Puerto Rico

PROVIDENCE – One of two Florida men charged in U.S. District Court in Providence in August 2017 with trafficking more than 5 kilograms of cocaine into Rhode Island through the U.S. Postal Service pleaded guilty today.

Appearing before U.S. District Court Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., Rinaxo Rufino, 34, of Miramar, FL, admitted that he conspired with Gabriel Concepcion, 28, of Kissimmee, FL, to receive at least three multi-kilogram shipments of cocaine shipped through the U.S. Postal Service from Puerto Rico to residences in Central Falls and Cumberland. Each shipment contained approximately three kilograms of cocaine. The packages were intercepted and seized by U.S. Postal Inspectors prior to their delivery to the intended recipients.

Rufino admitted that he and Concepcion intended to provide the kilograms of cocaine to others.

Rufino pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess 5 kilograms of cocaine, announced United States Attorney Stephen G. Dambruch, Raymond D. Moss, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division, and Ann C. Assumpico, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police. He is scheduled to be sentenced on December 12, 2018.

Concepcion is awaiting trial on an indictment charging him with conspiracy to possess more than five kilograms of cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

According to information presented to the court, U.S. Postal Inspectors and Rhode Island State Police High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force agents arrested Rufino on August 26, 2017, when he attempted to retrieve a package containing 3,029 grams of cocaine addressed to a Central Falls residence. US Postal Inspectors identified cocaine in the package prior to delivery and removed the controlled substance. In its place inspectors placed similarly weighted non-contraband material.

It is alleged that the parcel was one of three U.S. Mail parcels Rufino and Concepcion intended to acquire. The others, one addressed for delivery to a residence in Cumberland that contained approximately 3007.2 grams of cocaine was seized by Postal Inspectors on August 25, 2017, and a second addressed for delivery to a Central Falls residence contained approximately 3006.9 grams of cocaine which was seized by Postal Inspectors on August 28, 2017.

An indictment is merely an allegation and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul F. Daly, Jr.

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